Novel Square
Chapter 527
Chapter 527 Chapter 527
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Lydia was escorted away by Steven and his team under the watchful eyes of Cora, Stella, and the powerful elites of Betrico. Her destination was the underground prison run by the Dark Web Division.
After driving Mrs. Simpson and Mary home, Cherise and Morris headed straight to the Global Vision Group's second basement level.
Before they even approached the operating room, occasional screams echoed down the hallway.
Cries from botli men and women filled the air.
"This hurts so much!"
"Oh no, this pain is killing me!"
"Crow, be gentle!"
"Crow, take it easy! Jean, just bite my finger if you need to!"
Crow's voice carried over the din. "Who's the lunatic behind this? They must've doubled the corrosive agent in the acid to cause damage this severe. Smooth skin like that now has deep dents. What a vicious act."
He sighed. "Healing this won't be easy. Say goodbye to wearing strappy dresses anytime soon."
Cherise pushed open the door and stepped inside just as Crow finished his sentence. Her brows furrowed at his words.
The people in the room lit up at the sight of her, as though they had just seen their savior.
"Cherise, you're here!" Xenia said, her tone a mix of relief and worry. "Take a look. Crow's cleaned the wound, but it looks like Jean's arm might scar."
Truman's face was tight with concern. "Cherise, what can we do? She's just a young girl. This isn't fair."
Jean, however, maintained a composed demeanor befitting a lady from a prominent family. "It's my fault, really," she said lightly. "I didn't bother learning any self-defense when I was younger, just spent my time figuring out which candies and pastries I liked best. "If I hadn't been so lazy, Lydia wouldn't have had such an easy time bullying me."
Her words only deepened Truman's guilt.
Cherise walked over, taking the medical cotton swab from Crow's hand.
"Boss," Crow began, "I've cleaned the wound as best I can. Now we just have to wait and see how it heals. It's not going to be easy, though."
Cherise nodded, inspecting Jean's arm. "Jean, the affected area isn't too large, so I can promise to minimize the scarring as much as possible. But for a full recovery, you'll need some cosmetic procedures later. It'll be a process."
Jean smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Oh, it's fine. Look on the bright side. Truman owes me a favor now," she teased. "I want front-row tickets to the latest pop group's concert."
Her playful remark eased the tension in the room, drawing a few chuckles.
Jean's calm and easygoing nature was a testament to her grandparents' upbringing. There wasn't a trace of entitlement in her demeanor.
*****
After tending to Jean, Cherise stepped out of the operating room
Truman, Xenia, and Crow stayed behind to take care of her.
Morris had just ended a call with Leo when Cherise approached him. "What's going on? You seem off," she said, studying his expression.
"It's nothing," Morris replied, shaking his head. After a brief pause, he added, "Truman's team is spreading dirt on Lydia. Not that it's slander. It's all true."
"Oh?" Cherise raised an eyebrow. "Given Tristan's status, getting traction for such attacks online shouldn't be easy. Have you been helping?"
"No," Morris said simply. "But the trendingtayed up. For the first half-hour, the Walton family was quick to take them
down. After that, they couldn't. Someone else is helping keep it up, but it's not me
Cherise's curiosity deepened. "Who could it be?"
Morris showed her his phone. "Here's the location I traced."novelbin
Cherise leaned closer to the screen and read aloud, "Charity Orphanage.
Could it be Hank?"
They exchanged glances silently reaching the same conclusion.
If it was Hank, he posed little threat. But his reasons for intervening were intriguing, leaving room for speculation.
After a moment, Cherise continued, "The Walton family won't stay quiet now that we have Lydia in custody."
Morris nodded. "Truman called earlier. His response was... ambiguous. Neither approval nor disapproval. It's as if he's deliberately leaving the decision in our hands."
Cherise recalled what Carson had told her yesterday at the lake house. She suspected there was more to Lydia's actions than met the eye.
'Perhaps, she thought, 'Lydia wasn't just targeting Jean. This feels like a calculated move against Morris, the Jarrett family, and Arthur.'
*****
Meanwhile, at the Walton residence, Jagger returned in a fury. "I haven't even reached Dorian's island, and something like this happens. What's wrong with Lydia? What did Tristan say?" Stella, sitting stiffly on the couch, replied with a hint of resentment, "Tristan said she's an adult now and should deal with the consequences of her actions herself. He'll address it when he's back." She hesitated before continuing, "Dad, I've been raising Lydia all these years. Do you think Tristan will blame me for this? I know I failed to instill proper values in her, but..." Cora cut her off. "Enough. What's done is done. There's no point dwelling on it now."
She exhaled sharply. "I heard the trending topics online couldn't be taken down. Who's targeting our family like this? And why isn't Tristan taking stronger action to stop it?"